To Neverland and back again
by evehalliday
Summary: This is kinda my headcanon for the finale of the first half of S3. They are back in Storybrooke after rescuing Henry and Neal is back too. Emma has everything she needs, then why does she care if a certain blue-eyed, smart-mouthed, infuriatingly cocky pirate wants to leave?. This is my first FF here. Please review and be kind.


**Hope you'll be magnanimous enough to overlook a few mistakes. This is my first story here. and its not beta'd. Thanks.**

**To Neverland and back again**

**_They are back in Storybrooke after rescuing Henry and Neal is back too. Emma has everything she needs, then why does she care if a certain blue-eyed, smart-mouthed, infuriatingly cocky pirate wants to leave?_**

So, Swan, its been interesting," he said, his tongue firmly in his cheek, his sapphire eyes dancing with amusement, that characteristic smug, teasing look firmly in place. Emma couldn't help but smile back. Interesting didn't even begin to describe it. They had been through such wild adventures in Neverland, looking for Henry, challenging their wits and their strength… fighting, outwitting, escaping their adversaries together. It had been scary. Exhausting. Exhilarating.

He had found Henry. They could have never done it without him. He had been their guide, advisor, his experience with the inhabitants of Neverland had been invaluable and his cleverness, his cunning and quick thinking had gotten them out of more than one tricky situation. The bloody man was brave… almost to the point of being foolhardy. Nothing and no one deterred him from his goal. She had done her fair share too and gotten him out of a couple of tight scrapes. She felt another smile coming on. They had made quite the team.

And now they were back in Storybrooke, safe. And Neal was back too. They had triumphed against all odds, the underdogs beating the all-powerful. Here was her chance to finally be with Henry and her family. To be safe. To be normal. Then why was she being assailed by this deep aching, empty feeling?

"Where will you go?" She found her voice at last to ask, meeting his clear gaze with her own. He leaned across the railing of the pier, reaching out to caress his ship lovingly. "I'm a sea-faring man, lass. I go where the sea takes me". She stared at his hand, splayed across the wood of the ship, his numerous rings gleaming in the sunlight. Even with one hand his sword fighting skills could not be disputed, he climbed like a mountain cat, ran like a cheetah and fought like a lion. He was an ass sometimes, infuriatingly cocky and arrogant, and his innuendos were never-ending, but he was also courageous and ballsy, and it explained his deep-rooted disdain for cowards. He had put his life in danger not once, but several times in the attempt to get to Henry. Emma sighed audibly. There were plenty of things to admire in this man, they just couldn't see it earlier when he was being driven by vengeance alone. There was so much more to him.

His eyes met hers and the depth she saw in them took her breath away. What was this inexplicable connection between them? She had felt it the very first time when they had scaled the beanstalk and it had never gone away, it had only gotten stronger and now it had reached a point where it had started to confuse her. And consume her thoughts.

* * *

Her mind went back to the time in Neverland when they had come up against the Indian warriors and Hook had pulled her into a hidden recess because they were outnumbered and their priority was getting to Henry. His nearness had overwhelmed her, he had smelt of the sea and something else that was so earthy and masculine. Her breath had hitched, her throat had constricted. They had been facing each other, their bodies pressed together in the tiny space and she had felt the warmth of his eyes on her. It had egged her to look back at him and what she saw in his eyes staggered her. Those deep cerulean orbs were smoldering, even in the darkness, she couldn't fail to read the emotions she saw in them, that so mirrored her own. No words were spoken, but their eyes and their ragged breathing had said everything that needed to be said. He had slowly leaned forward, his head bent and her heart had begun to hammer painfully in her chest. He was going to kiss her! She had been waiting for this moment ever since the beanstalk when he had first touched her when bandaging her wounded hand. His touch had sent sparks coursing all through her body, she had felt as though she was on fire, she had felt whole and alive, every nerve ending reacting to his touch, every cell in her body crying out for him. She couldn't explain the feeling, because it was very new.. this raw, aching, deep, primal need that she felt for him…. She needed this more than she needed air.

The moment was gone as quick as it had arrived, his eyes had clouded and he had withdrawn, breaking eye contact. She had almost cried out aloud in disappointment and with an abrupt, "They're gone, let's go", he had moved on.

They had soon found out that Neal was alive, when Snow had established contact through the sleeping curse with Aurora in the room of fire. She had been ecstatic, of course, and thankful. But Hook had become suddenly withdrawn. He had taken care not to touch her after that, maintaining a respectful distance and it had driven her almost mad with want.

* * *

And now, in the present, standing next to his ship, she could feel the same desire coiled deep in the pit of her stomach. She almost gasped aloud as she looked deep in his eyes… those impossibly blue orbs were scorching her with their heat, her lungs were exploding, her heart beats had increased to a dizzying speed and her stomach was doing crazy flip-flops. He took a step towards her and her breath stopped.

"Hook..", a familiar voice called out. They were both shocked and shaken..by the intensity of what they were feeling and the suddenness of the harsh interruption.

Her head jerked and she turned around guiltily. It was Neal accompanied by Henry, followed closely by her parents and Regina. She stole a glance at Hook. He was wearing the same inscrutable expression that she had always assumed was nonchalance. Now she knew better. It was a wall. A wall that very few could penetrate.

Neal reached out a hand, almost reluctantly acknowledging Hook's role in his boy's rescue. "Thanks. I owe you one", he muttered with restraint.

Hook was still for a minute and then nodding slightly extended his good hand and clasped Neal's firmly. "You owe me nothing, Bae".

Henry was looking up at Hook in awe and admiration. "Can I ride on your ship again soon?" He'd been thrilled when Hook had taught him to steer the ship on their way home. She'd watched those moments covertly and it had warmed something deep in her. The lost child and the broken man.

Hook broke into a wide grin. "Aye lad, that you may. There'll always be room on the Jolly Roger for you."

Then her parents came forward and thanked him and wished him well, He nodded graciously. "Now if I may take your leave". He said with finality. Emma felt the lump in her throat grow bigger.

"You could stay you know", she found herself saying hurriedly. "The sheriff's office could use another deputy".

He grinned broadly, his eyes dancing in merriment as he looked at her. She knew what his answer was going to be.

"The sheriff's office already has two capable hands. And I'm not sure how good I'll be functioning on the right side of the law".

All of a sudden, there was a deep, rumbling sound that crescendoed into a thundering, ear-shattering roar. They all turned towards the source of the sound and saw a dense, thick, smoke rising from the middle of the sea, the ripples on its surface creating a vortex much like a portal and the smoke swirling above it turning into a horrific, terrible, monstrous creature with a head like a demon and pointed ears, teeth like fangs, fingers like metallic claws. The creature stooped and looked around. Everyone was reeling in shock rooted to the spot, reacting to it. The creature's eyes fell on Hook and in one single swoop, a snake-like arm went around his neck and lifted him high into its arms.

"Hook…No!" screamed Emma.

"You ….you took my ring. I want it back", hissed and spat the creature at Hook. Hook was valiantly kicking his legs and trying hard to prise the creature's fingers off his neck.

"Maleficient.. we really must stop meeting like this", he quipped, his wacky sense of humor not giving up on him even in this most precarious of situations.

Emma rushed forward in an attempt to reach him, but was pulled back by Charming. She looked at him in desperation.

"Where is my ring…you…you filthy pirate!?" demanded Maleficient in murderous rage.

"I'm afraid I don't have it". The cockiness in his tone was amazingly unaffected, never once betraying fear of this terrible creature. "I gave it to Peter Pan in exchange for the boy. He needed it to restore his shadow and I needed the boy back. Fair trade."

Emma was stunned. So that's how he'd managed to free Henry from Peter pan. They'd had no clue!

The vortex continued to spin and the creature looked at them maliciously and then back at Hook, her voice dripping with venomous hatred. "Regina deprived me of my ring when she imprisoned me in that chasm. You stole it from her, you conniving thief! You promised to let me have it if I let you go. You double crossed me, pirate! Now you shall get it back for me. You and I, my handsome captain, are taking a trip back to Neverland", cackled the witch with diabolical laughter.

With that she raised her other hand and the vortex whirled with even more vigour than before. "NEVERLAND!", she exclaimed and pulled Hook in with her into the spinning vortex. Hook's desperate eyes locked on Emma's one final time before he disappeared into the depths of the sea, the waters closing in over them followed by an eerie silence.

Charming's grip on Emma's hand tightened. Neal was holding Henry back firmly.

There was a shocked silence that was broken by Emma's anguished cry, "NO!".

They all stood in stunned disbelief. Then Emma turned around and faced them. "We have to help him. We have to find a way to get to Neverland", she said in desperation.

Everyone was silent. She couldn't believe it. What the hell?

Snow walked up to her and placed an arm on her shoulders. 'Emma, I'm sure Hook will be okay. He can take care of himself".

She was enraged. Her mother was saying this? She shook Snow's hand off her. "How can you know that? Maleficent is a powerful sorceress. And we all know what Peter Pan is capable of! They could kill him!" She was almost screaming in her desperation and panic.

"Emma, we're together as a family after ages. We've been through a lot, all of us. Henry doesn't need for us to be separated again", Neal said matter-of-factly.

Emma spun around and glared at him in rage. "And did you once think about that man putting his life on the line to save OUR son, his sworn enemy's grandson, before you even thought about what you're saying?"

Neal had the decency to look ashamed.

"He owed none of us anything. He helped us anyway. You know that. We couldn't have saved Henry without him. " She turned to her parents. "Come on. I can't believe you guys!"

"She's right", said Charming and Emma looked at him gratefully. "We have to try and help him".

"But how?", asked Snow. They had no means of forming a portal. They all looked at each other helplessly.

Then Henry spoke excitedly, holding out something.

"This will help us!" He held up an hourglass filled with a translucent greenish sand.

"Pixie dust!" chorused Emma and Regina. "Where'd you get it, Henry?"

"Tinkerbell gave it to me as a parting gift asking me to save it and use it wisely. I want to use it to help Hook". He said firmly.

Emma reached out and hugged him. " Thanks, kid", and taking the hourglass from him, ran up the deck and boarded the ship. She broke it and sprinkled the pixie dust over the wheel of the Jolly Roger. The ship began to move slowly.

"Emma, wait, we're going with you", Snow and Charming ran up to join her. She glanced back at Neal and Regina standing at the port. "Take care of Henry!"

Neal nodded in assurance and understanding.

"Get him back, mom. I know you can!" said Henry.

She nodded and waved, holding on to the steer as the ship began moving faster, spinning around its own axis and making huge ripples in the water as it prepared to cross realms.

She would find him. She knew that now with absolute certainty. She would always find him.

* * *

******This is my first FF on OUAT, please be kind and please R&R, it would greatly encourage a rookie writer. Thanks for reading!**  



End file.
